After being dumped by the diva, I was picked up by her arch-enemy.

On stage, the dull drumbeats suddenly intensified.

The song's emotions are gradually built up, layer by layer.

Jiang Yichen gripped the microphone tightly with both hands and tilted his head back.

"Losing you is the original sin—"

"Only those without hearts are a good match—"

"You wear tattered clothes, I paint them, and we walk side by side through mountains and rivers—"

"You look haggard, but I'll brighten your day—"

"It was your kiss that opened the ink, staining my eyes with tears—"

"For whom do we enact the dramas of separation, reunion, sorrow, and joy?"

Every word and phrase is like a lament, striking straight to the soul.

On the judges' panel, Lin Qinghe's eyes were completely red.

Warm tears welled up in her eyes, blurring the dazzling figure in her vision.

She bit her lower lip hard, tasting a faint metallic flavor of blood, but was completely unaware of it.

She stared intently at the radiant man on the stage.

How could he lack talent?

He simply hid all his talents, content to remain in her shadow.

And she herself severed that thread.

She resolutely pushed him out of her world.

........

Jiang Yichen's performance continues.

The rhythm of the accompaniment became faster.

The strings of the guzheng were plucked rapidly, bringing out a poignant and sorrowful beauty.

Jiang Yichen suddenly opened his eyes.

Those eyes, which were always filled with tenderness, were now clear as water, revealing a kind of clarity that had seen through the world's illusions.

"They've misunderstood something in a roundabout way—"

"But I am only at your disposal—"

"What in this world could be more perfect?"

But I am at your disposal.

These seven words were like a red-hot branding iron, burning fiercely into Lin Qinghe's heart.

Lin Qinghe's last line of defense completely collapsed.

Tears welled up uncontrollably and streamed down her cool and beautiful face.

It's lost.

The man who once had her in his heart and eyes has truly been lost by her.

She covered her mouth with both hands, desperately trying to suppress the sobs that were about to escape her throat.

My body trembled slightly uncontrollably.

Just as the entire audience was deeply moved by the emotions of the song and immersed in that faint sadness.

The accompaniment suddenly took a huge turn!

The erhu's pitch suddenly rose!

Stern, melodious, soaring straight to the sky!

Jiang Yichen's originally clear pop singing style suddenly switched to a highly explosive opera-style singing!

"With delicate fingers, she touches the fleeting world—"

"On the three-foot-high red stage, everything is sung and played—"

The moment the opera-style singing began, the entire studio erupted in cheers.

That penetrating voice carried a hint of sorrow and a touch of resolute determination.

It perfectly shattered the gentle prelude.

This brought the song's emotions directly to their climax.

Jiang Yichen closed his eyes again, supporting the microphone stand with one hand.

The fingers, with their distinct knuckles, appeared exceptionally long under the spotlight.

"Singing farewell, the sorrow has faded beyond words; even the most vibrant colors have turned to ashes—"

May everyone remember whom, in the best years of their lives—

The live stream chat exploded with a barrage of comments.

The screen was filled with layers of text, almost completely obscuring the entire image.

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! It's Peking opera singing again!"

"That vocal transition was amazing! It gave me goosebumps!"

"What an amazing song! It's so beautiful!"

"The most vibrant red parts turned to ash! This poem is absolutely brilliant; what must one have gone through to write such a piece!"

"I'm kneeling down on the spot! Jiang Yichen, just how many amazing moves are you hiding?!"

"Where are Li Ziyan's fans? Come out and show yourselves! How can they fight with this kind of skill?"

In a small courtyard far away in the capital.

Li Guochun, who had been lying in the armchair with his eyes half-closed, suddenly opened his eyes the moment he heard this opera tune.

The old man stopped playing with the walnuts, slowly sat up straight, a glint of light flashed in his cloudy eyes, and a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

........

On the stage, the soft blue lights flowed slowly.

Jiang Yichen stood ramrod straight amidst the surging music.

The operatic singing style was toned down.

He switched back to that clear, languid, and slightly melancholic pop singing style.

It was as if, after the climax, only a pile of embers remained, unattended and forgotten.

"When you take my hand, I dance like the wind—"

"Your guidance tells me when to advance and when to retreat—"

"Suffering and joy follow—"

"Every gesture and movement must conform to—"

"Make humility and gentleness absolute—"

It sings of past humility, and of the self-mockery and acceptance that comes from not being appreciated.

Finally, another exquisite Peking Opera-style vocal performance concludes the story, like the final chapter and a farewell to the past.

"The wind and snow faintly illuminate the white ends of autumn hair—"

"The lamplight is lush and bright, gently rubbing your brows—"

"If you shed a single tear, if I can accompany you as you grow old—"

"To turn to ash in the mist and waves is a perfect departure—"

As the last line of lyrics fell like a sigh, the lingering notes of the guzheng and erhu slowly stretched in the air before finally dissipating into nothingness.

A brief silence fell over the entire studio.

There was no applause, no cheers; everyone seemed still immersed in that sorrow, unable to extricate themselves.

On the judges' panel.

If you shed a single tear, if I can accompany you as you grow old.

These two lines of lyrics became the final straw that broke Lin Qinghe's back.

Memories of the past three years flashed wildly through her mind.

She mistook pearls for fish eyes, and trash for treasures.

Guilt and regret made her heart feel as if it were being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand.

The pain was so intense that she could barely breathe.

Lin Qinghe could no longer control herself, and tears streamed down her face.

The photographer's lens keenly captured this moment.

On the big screen, a close-up shot of Lin Qinghe, her face streaked with tears and her eyes red, was shown.

The audience, which had begun to cheer, fell silent again.

The chat in the live stream also paused briefly.

This was followed by an even more intense discussion.

"Holy crap?! Holy crap?! Am I seeing things?! Goddess Qinghe is crying?!"

"Is this song really that powerful? It actually made Lin Qinghe, who is known for her aloofness, cry?"

"Don't even mention her, I cried while listening to it, the lyrics are so heartbreaking."

"Look at her eyes, that's genuine emotion!"

"This song is amazing! It made the judges cry. Jiang Yichen has become a legend!"

........

In the heart of Shanghai, in a small Western-style building.

Gu Ruanxing sat cross-legged on the sofa, still holding half a potato chip in her hand, completely frozen.

She stared blankly at the woman on the television screen, tears streaming down her face.

Lin Qinghe cried.

He cried in front of the entire nation, completely losing his composure.

Isn't this the result she's always wanted?

Watch this self-righteous woman make a fool of herself.

But...why?

I don't seem to be as happy as I thought I would be?